Amnesia (失忆) is loss of memory caused by psychological or physical trauma. It’s not the same as not having the mental status required for a crime.
The inability to remember committing a crime doesn’t necessarily mean the defendant didn’t intend to and actually commit it. A defendant’s mental state at the time of the crime is what’s important—amnesia occurring after the crime has no effect on conduct at the time of the offense. Accordingly, amnesia typically isn’t a viable defense.
Example:
The court upheld the defendant’s homicide conviction because his failure to remember the shooting wasn’t proof of his mental condition at the time of the act. His memory loss wasn’t evidence that he didn’t know right from wrong when the crime occurred. (Lester v. State, 370 SW2d 405 (Tenn. 1963).).